Purpose:
To ensure that all project-related expenses are properly documented, submitted, and paid through AEG’s internal systems.
What this means:
A cost report is the document a developer fills out to request payment or reimbursement for project-related expenses. This includes freelancer invoices, printing costs, materials, prototyping expenses, and any other approved development costs.
Submitting a cost report ensures that:
- The correct budget is charged
- Payment is issued promptly
- All spending is traceable and aligned with allocated funds
RACI Roles Defined:
- Accountable The developer is accountable for submitting accurate and timely cost reports for their project expenses.
- Responsible The Finance or Business Operations team is responsible for processing the submitted cost reports and issuing payment.
- Consulted Production, Art, or other relevant departments may be consulted when clarifying the purpose or categorization of a cost.
Key Guidance:
- When you're ready to use the Cost Report, go to the Google Drive for your project and locate the appropriate template in the 01_Documents folder (typically under AEG Products > [Product Name] > 01_Documents). Do not edit the original template. Instead, make a copy and save it into your project’s folder, clearly named to match the project and reporting period (e.g., “[Game Name] Cost Report – [MMYY]”). This ensures your report stays organized and accessible for budget tracking, approvals, and postmortem analysis.
- Every cost report must correspond to approved and allocated funds.
- Reports should be submitted promptly after the expense is incurred—don’t batch them unless advised.
- Clear labeling (project name, vendor, service provided) helps ensure fast processing.
- Supporting documentation (invoices, receipts, contracts) must be included.
- Documents are sent to AEG project lead for processing
